LITMIR.BIZ

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why she was insisting on searching for a cat that probably perished in the fire. But in a way, she understood the girl’s grief. Knew what it was like to hope someone or something you loved had somehow survived against the odds.

      “I’m Nicole,” she told the girl’s parents. “I’m staying with my friend Jane who owns the art gallery in town.”

      “We know Jane,” the mom said. To her daughter, she said, “If you stay far away from the firemen and the trucks, you can go with this nice lady and look around.” Her face softened. “Maybe he climbed a tree to hide and he’s just waiting for you to come get him.”

      Nicole took the girl’s hand. “What color is your cat?”

      “Black. He’s all black.”

      Great. Looking for a panicked black cat that may or may not even be alive. In the darkness. At least it was better than watching the firefighters systematically carry out smoldering furniture and other belongings. Anything was better than that.

      “I’m Julia,” the girl said, her voice small. Her dark hair fell around her face and she looked tiny under the rough blanket. “Do you think we’ll find Eddie?”

      “Yes,” Nicole said, trying to sound convincing. “He could be sound asleep in the mailbox.”

      “Or my sandbox.”

      “I’ll bet you’re right. We’ll check those places and then start looking under plants and in trees. Is Eddie a good climber?”

      Julia wrinkled her forehead. “He never goes out of the house. He usually sleeps all day unless I’m playing with him.”

      “So,” Nicole said. “He’s a beginner climber. That’s good. He won’t be too far up. But we’re going to need a flashlight.”

      Nicole took the child’s hand and approached Kevin, who was now digging through a cabinet on the side of one of the fire trucks.

      “Excuse me,” she said. “Do you have a flashlight in there we can borrow?”

      At the sight of Nicole and the little girl, his brows came together in a skeptical look. “What are you planning to do with it? You can’t go in the house.”

      “I’m not a fool,” Nicole said. “We’re looking for Eddie.”

      Kevin glanced at the little girl. “The cat?” he asked.

      “Uh-huh,” Julia said. “Nicole is helping me find him. We’re looking in the mailbox and up in the trees.”

      Kevin smiled. “That’s really nice of Nicole, and I’m sure you’ll find him. He’s probably just scared. Fires are scary.”

      He took a flashlight from the large front pocket of his heavy coat and handed it to Nicole.

      “I’ll bring it back,” she said.

      “I know where to find you,” he replied, smiling at her and holding eye contact as if he wanted to emphasize that they were on the same side.

      “Thank you,” Nicole said. She took the child’s hand and they crept around the edge of the property, checking every hiding place they could find on the lawn. Trying to ignore the damp, smoky smell of the fire, she swept the flashlight into trees, under shrubs and beneath the swing set. Nicole smiled encouragingly at the little girl even though it seemed hopeless.

      One set of searchlights went off. A fire truck left, and neighbors went home. It had to be two in the morning at least, but there was no sign of Eddie. Nicole felt tears of frustration, exhaustion and something she didn’t want to think about well in her eyes. Julia’s mother found them in the backyard and claimed her daughter’s hand. “Sorry we didn’t find Eddie tonight,” Nicole told the girl, “but I’m sure he’ll come back tomorrow.”

      “We’re staying with my sister across town,” the mother said. “If you happen to see a lonely black cat around, here’s her number.”

      Nicole took the scrap of paper and promised to keep an eye out. She watched the family climb wearily into an SUV with only the clothes and blankets on their backs. The fire chief and another firefighter put up yellow caution tape across the doors.

      Nicole still had the flashlight and most of the trucks had left, so she approached the man in the red helmet. “Please give this to Kevin Ruggles,” she said, her voice faint with disappointment and unshed tears.

      “He’s right here,” the chief said, handing the light over Nicole’s head to a man behind her. She turned and faced him.

      Although he was covered in black grime, the light from the remaining fire truck illuminated his smile. “Did you find the cat?” he asked.

      She shook her head, not wanting to talk about the cat or anything else related to the fire.

      “Hope he didn’t die,” Kevin said, “but I’m afraid it’s pretty likely. Animals tend to hide and the flames go right over them.”

      Nicole thought her heart would explode. Her brother, when he realized he couldn’t outrun the forest fire, had hunkered down with his partners under fire-resistant blankets. Two of his partners survived, although seriously burned. Adam did not. He was lying under the blanket when they found him.

      She couldn’t help it. Tears ran down her cheeks and a sob choked her.

      “Hey,” Kevin said, touching her arm. “Sorry. I didn’t think you knew the...uh...cat.”

      Jane appeared out of the darkness. “Ready to go home?” she asked.

      Nicole nodded, unable to speak. Kevin took off his helmet and ran a hand through his hair. “I think we’re all ready for this night to be over,” he said.

      Jane glanced at Nicole and she knew her teary face must look a mess.

      “Okay, Nikki?”

      In answer, Nicole turned and headed toward the street. She heard Jane murmur something to Kevin and then her friend was at her side, arm around her, as they trudged home.

      * * *

      KEVIN AND THE chief were the last two on scene, finishing cleanup for the time being. There would be plenty to do tomorrow when the fire and insurance inspectors showed up.

      “Call it a night,” the chief said.

      Kevin tossed the flashlight Nicole had returned to him into the side compartment of the truck. It bounced against the back of the bin and rolled out, falling on the ground and rolling under the truck.

      “Dangit,” Kevin said, dropping to his knees to look for it. The flashlight was hidden in the grass, but he saw something else under the truck. A black blob. The black blob moved and light reflected off a pair of eyes.

      “Hey, buddy. You must be Eddie.”

      He ducked low and reached for the cat, but the frightened animal recoiled and slunk farther back.

      “Don’t make this hard on me, cat.”

      He extended his arm slowly toward the animal and then made a quick lunge, grabbing the cat before he could run away, but whacking his head on the running board of the truck at the same time. He held the cat in one hand and got up. Tucking the cat inside his coat, he glanced down the street toward Jane’s house. It had only been a half hour since the women left. Could they still be awake?

      “Got everything?” the chief said.

      “Yup. And I think I found the homeowners’ cat under the truck.”

      “We didn’t run over it, did we?” the chief asked. “I hate when we do that.”

      “No, he’s alive. Can we stop by Jane’s house on the way back to the station? If she’s still up, I think she can help us with it.”

      The chief stared at the lump inside Kevin’s turnout coat. “Didn’t know you were such a cat person,” he said.

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